Monday, July 27, 2015

Electricity Substation 210, Coorparoo

Electricity is one of those ubiquitous utilities that we just expect to be available 24/7. Lucky us - there are many places in the world where this is not the case.

Apart from the very occasional blackout, usually the result of an electrical storm (of which there are many in a Brisbane summer), most of us just take the service for granted. Of course it wasn't always so - electricity came slowly and intermittently to Brisbane street lights and houses. The tram service also became a reason for electric power to be expanded from its central city beginnings.

Brisbane's first street lights were operational in 1882 as the result of steam power generated by a steam engine provided by JW Sutton & Co in Adelaide St. Then in 1888 another company, Barton & White, constructed a powerhouse in Edison Lane at the rear of the GPO.

Electric trams came into service in 1897, and powering these vehicles meant the construction of new and bigger powerhouses. From these infant steps evolved the efficient electricity service we take for granted today.

Over Coorparoo way is an electricity substation that is actually listed on Queensland's heritage register, and deservedly so too. It is this Spanish Mission designed structure built in 1930 to plans by Reyburn Jameson, BCC assistant architect of the time.

The substation is situated on Main Ave near the bowls club. It hasn't operated since 1977 or thereabouts as larger, more modern substations have taken over the ever increasing load. Fortunately for us it has been preserved as a remnant of a time when public utilities could be beautiful as well as practical.

As a point of comparison, here is today's Coorparoo substation. Nothing to see here - move along!